CSU and public MFT programs in California

In short

Which California public or CSU MFT program should I compare?

Published cost, admissions, schedule and practicum evidence

Public programs

Compare California's public and CSU MFT-qualifying programs, including published cost, admissions facts, schedule and practicum evidence.

How to use this list

Public tuition can be lower, but seat supply and program structure vary. Treat missing total cost, cohort size and placement outcomes as admissions questions.

Every school name opens a complete profile with sources, conflicts, student reality and unanswered questions.

16 programs

Cal Poly Humboldt

M.A. in Psychology: Counseling (Counseling Psychology, M.A.) · Arcata

FormatNot published
LengthNot published
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementplaced
Direct clinical hoursA minimum of 150 hours of direct (face-to-face) counseling experience with clients and 75 hours of advocacy and support must be earned prior to graduation.
GRE statusnot published
Read the full school profile →

Cal Poly Pomona

M.S. in Psychology (60 units) · Pomona

FormatNot published
LengthNot published
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursNot published
GRE statusnot required
Read the full school profile →

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

M.S. in Psychology · San Luis Obispo

FormatNot published
LengthNot published
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementplaced
Direct clinical hoursPracticum: 40 hours of clinical service (15 individual, 15 couple/family, 10 group) plus 40 hours observation. Traineeship: 150 hours per term on site, at least 60 of which must be face-to-face counseling.
GRE statusnot required
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California State University, Bakersfield

M.S. in Counseling Psychology · Bakersfield

FormatIn-person full-time cohort, classes 1pm-10pm Mon-Thu, fall entry only
Length3 years, full-time cohort
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementnot published
Direct clinical hoursA minimum of 150 hours of face-to-face experience counseling individuals, couples, families, or groups must be acquired during traineeship (3rd year of the CPSY program). Additionally, during the 2nd and 3rd years of the program, the student must acquire 75 hours of client-centered advocacy or face-to-face experience counseling individuals, couples, families, or groups.
GRE statusnot published
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California State University, Chico

M.S. in Psychology (marketed as MFT) · Chico

FormatFully on-campus, Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; on campus 3-4 days a week for the first two years
Length3 years, full-time cohort
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursStudents must obtain a minimum of 225 face-to-face clinical hours in order to graduate.
GRE statusnot required
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California State University, Dominguez Hills

M.S. in Marital and Family Therapy · Carson

FormatNot published
Length3 years
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursmust complete 300 client contact hours, 100 of which are relational, client contact with couples or families
GRE statuswaivable
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California State University, East Bay

M.S. in Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy Concentration · Hayward

FormatFull-time cohort, Hayward campus only; day, evening, some weekends
Length2 years (~5 semesters)
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementnot published
Direct clinical hoursNot published
GRE statusnot required
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California State University, Fresno (Fresno State)

M.S. in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling · Fresno

FormatOn-campus + clinic
Length5 semesters
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementstudent-sourced
Direct clinical hoursThe student must complete 300 hours of approved fieldwork hours per semester for a total of 600 hours. ... 300 of the 600 hours must include providing direct face-to-face counseling services and is required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of experience leading groups.
GRE statusnot published
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California State University, Fullerton (University Extension)

M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling & Marriage and Family Therapy · Fullerton

FormatOn-campus, part-time, evening
Length3 years + 1 term
Published tuition$42,525 estimated tuition
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hourstheir total required hours of 280 DCC/700 non-DCC, per CACREP requirements
GRE statusnot required
Read the full school profile →

California State University, Long Beach

M.S. in Counseling Psychology (formerly Marriage and Family Therapy) · Long Beach

FormatHybrid — in-person + synchronous online; not fully online. Late afternoon/evening M–Th, some weekend sessions
Length2-year or 2.5-year tracks
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementnot published
Direct clinical hours150 hours of a combined off-site and on-site Practicum (COUN 609) experiences in addition to 350 off-site Fieldwork hours (COUN 643D & 644D)
GRE statusnot required
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California State University, Los Angeles

M.S. in Counseling: Option in School-Based Family Counseling · Los Angeles

FormatIn-person, late-afternoon/evening, 2–4 days/week; explicitly no online option
Length2.5–3 years, full-time only
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementnot published
Direct clinical hoursNot published
GRE statusnot required
Read the full school profile →

California State University, Northridge

M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy · Northridge

FormatPrimarily in-person, some hybrid courses
Length2.5–3 years, cohort, mandatory summers
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hours600 Hours Fieldwork Requirement = Minimum of 500 Clinical Hours and 100 Supervision Hours ... 100+ Relational Hours (100 minimum) ... 100 Alternative Hours (100 maximum) ... Must include 50 hours of live supervision
GRE statusrequired
Read the full school profile →

California State University, Sacramento

M.S. in Counseling (Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling) · Sacramento

FormatNot published
LengthNot published
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hours100-hour clinical practicum, and 600 hours of fieldwork experience
GRE statusnot published
Read the full school profile →

California State University, San Bernardino

M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology · San Bernardino

FormatOn-campus full-time lockstep cohort
Length2 years, full-time day cohort
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementnot published
Direct clinical hoursNot published
GRE statusnot published
Read the full school profile →

California State University, Stanislaus

M.S. in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy Concentration (Counseling Track; also a Behavior Analysis Track) · Turlock

FormatNot published
Length2.5 years (5 semesters)
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementnot published
Direct clinical hoursNot published
GRE statusnot required
Read the full school profile →

San Francisco State University

M.S. in Counseling: Concentration in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling · San Francisco

FormatIn-person
LengthPublished 2-year and 3-year roadmaps; department-reported average time to degree is 2.9 years (range 2–7).
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursStudents must put in a minimum of 700 hours of field placement for each specialization, with at least 280 hours of direct client contact.
GRE statusnot required
Read the full school profile →

Method and limits

This page is generated from the same 78-program California registry as the statewide directory. Inclusion is rule-based, not paid. Cost appears only when a school publishes tuition; a per-unit estimate multiplies the published rate by the published degree units and excludes fees. “Not published” means the reviewed public sources did not establish the answer.

Compare all California MFT programs →

Source notes

Use the citations and any dated evidence records to check the claims relevant to your task. This label is not a verification status.

Maintained evidence behind this page

Built on 1 public evidence record.

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